Method of making shoes



April 18, 1944.

5.; BOWN METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed March 24, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l JHMUEL 00w,

5 lea 47772 )P/VE'KS April 18, 1944. s. BOWN j 2,346,651 METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filled March 24'; 1941 2 sheets-sheet- 2 Patented Apr. 18, 1944 ME'rnon or MAKING snons Samuel Bown, St. Louis County, Mo., assignor to International Shoe Company, St. Louis, Mo.,

' a corporation of Delaware Application March 24, 1941, Serial No. 384,825

The present invention relates generally to shoemaking, and more particularly to a method of making ashoe which is of resilient construction.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of constructing a shoe ineluding at least some elastic material, so that the ultimate product is form-fitting at the throat and is substantially without side bulge in the wear thereof.

Another object is to provide a novel method of constructing a lady's pump including some elastic material which incorporates the use of a lining portion as a gauge for determiningthe ultimate position of the outside of the upper in the lasting operation. V A

Another object is to provide a novel method of constructing a ladys pump including some elastic material whereby the toe of the ultimate prodnot is inclined at an exaggerated angle when not upon the foot of a wearer.

Another object is to provide a novel method of constructing a ladys pump including some elastic material in which a portion of the upper is stretched to a predetermined degree in lasting in accordance with a provided gauge and then permitted to return to normal after removal from the last.

' Another object is to provide a novelmethod of constructing a ladys pump which is inexpensive, which is peculiarly applicable to an upper including some elastic material, and which result in a highly desirable product.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig, 1 is a bottom view of the forward portion of an upper for a ladys pump;

Fig. 2 is a bottom View of a portion of a skeleton lining to be employed in conjunction with the upper part shown in Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the forward portions of the upper and lining of Figs. 1 and 2 in assembled relationship in respect to the rear portions thereof Fig. 4 is a View of the upper and lining of Figs. 1 and 2 showing the forward portion of the skeleton lining connected to the forward portion of the upper preparatory to the lasting operation;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view of a last with the assembled upper and lining of Fig. 4 in an initial position thereon, the turned under portions of the quarter being tacked in place;

Fig. 7 is a view of the upper and lining assem- 3' Claims. (01. 12-142) blage of Fig. 4 pulled over the last and tacked into position preparatory to receiving a sole;

Fig. 8 is a view of the finished shoe, partially in section and partially broken away to illustrate details thereof;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the finished shoe showing the relationship of the toe spring to a horizontal plane; and,

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the toe portion of the finished shoe.

Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, Fig. 1 shows the underside of the front portion of an upper l5 of an upper for a ladys'pump. The upper I5 includes an integral vamp and toe piece I6 comprising an outer layer ll of leather and an innerlayer it of rubberized material, such as lastex, the leather and rubberized layers being suitably connected by cement, or the like. An elastic strip [9 is secured by stitching around the throat of the upper l5. The toe point of the upper i5 is cut away along the line 2|, the cut away area being covered by a leather piece 22 which is secured by stitching 23 to the upper 15. The leather piece 22-is slotted at 24 and 25 for'lasting purposes.

In Fig. 2, there is shown the forward portion of a skeleton lining 28 which includes a quarter lining 29 of leather and a forwardly extending element 3t of duck or other light strong cloth material which is connected to the quarter lining 29 by stitching 3|. The weave of the cloth of element 30 is laterally and longitudinally of the skeleton lining 28 to prevent elongation;

In carrying out the present invention, the skeleton lining 28 is assembled inside the upper IS with the quarter lining 29 stitched to the upper l5 by the usual stitching 34, the cloth element 30 being allowed to extend forwardly. The cloth element 30 is of such a length that the end thereof extends beyond the end of the leather piece 22 a predetermined amount (Fig. 3 The free end of the cloth element 30 is then substantially aligned with the edge of the leather piece 22 and secured to the leather piece 22 by a staple 35, or the like (Fig. 4). The result is, of course, a fullness of material of the cloth element 30 between the staple and the stitching 34 (Figs. 5 and 6).

The assembly comprising the upper l 5 and the lining 28 is disposed about a last 31 and the lower edges of the heel portions are secured to the heel portion of the last by tacks 38, or the like, in the usual manner. The forward portion of the upper I5 is then stretched forwardly over the toe of the last 31 until the cloth element 30 is extended to its full length, whereupon a tack 39, or the like, is driven through the leather piece 22, the end of the cloth element 30, and through an inner sole 4!] into the last 31 to maintain the same in the stretched relationship. Thereupon, the lasting job is completed in the usual manner, including the securing. of. a suitable, sole. 4| and heel 42 in place. A shoe 43 is the: result of the lasting.

After the shoe 43 is removed from the last 3.1 the cloth element 30 is cut away, as is that portion of the leather member 22 which covers the.

toe cut-out.

When the shoe 43 is removed from the'last 31.,

the tension under which the forward portion,

thereof was maintained is relieved and the rubberized material returns it to the position shown in Fig. 9. What may be termed an exaggerated The resulting shoe 43 is one WhiCh'lS' comfortable and which eliminates the twoheretofore xisting pumpevils, namely, the bulge due to the shoe bending in walking and throat bite. The novel method employed in attaining the shoeis inexpensive, accurate and readily adaptable.

Itis manifest that the method of constructing a shoe, particularly a ladys pump, that hasbeen described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings-fulfills all of the'objects and advantages sought therefor. A toelessshoe is shown and'described, but any type may be-made by the present method.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description. and accompanying drawings have been given by way of illustration and example, and not for purposes of limitation, the invention being limited only by the claims which follow,

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a shoe comprising providing a laminar upper including an elastic area r in. the forward portion thereof and securing to the rear thereof, behind the elastic area, a partially temporary skeleton member including aforwardly extending elementwhich extends beyond moval of the last the contraction of the the forward end of the laminar upper, draping the assembly over a last, stretching the laminar upper until the elongation substantially equals a predetermined length of the member, providing by the lasting a predetermined toe spring, completing the lasting with the laminar upper thus stretched, and removing the last to permit the stretched portion of the laminar upper to contract, the predetermined toe spring aforesaid having been so related to the elasticity of the upper that upon reupper gives to the toe an exaggerated spring.

2. A method of making a shoe comprising providing. a laminarupper including an elastic portion, providing. a partially temporary skeleton member of. greater. longitudinal extent than the contracted length of the laminar upper, stretching'the'laminar upper over a last until the longitudinal length substantially equals that of the partially temporary skeleton member thereby providing a toespring. in the lasting operation that places theupp'erunder a predeterminedlten sion: and-givesit a toe spring inaccordance with the last, attaching" the upper assembly as thus stretched, and. removing the last to permitthe stretched: portion to contract, the toe spring provided as-heretofore: being suchthat when the last isremovedcontraction of the elastic portion-provides an exaggerated toe spring in the completed shoe.

3;. A method of making. a shoe comprising providing a. laminar upper, includingan elastic.portion, providing a. partially temporary skeleton member including, a non-stretchable element. extending forwardly a greater distance, than the length of the laminar upper, securing, the laminar upper andpartially temporary. skeleton. member together at the rear and forwardly so that a fullness obtains in the skeleton element, applying the assembledlaminar upper and partially temporary skeleton member to a last, stretching the outside forwardly overthe last until it is elongated to a length eliminating the fullness in the element of the skeleton, providing during the lasting a predetermined toespring, completing the lasting job with thelamina'r upper thus stretched, including" removal of the last-to permit the elastic portion to contract, the toe spring as heretofore men-- tioned having been so related to the elasticity' -of the elastic portion-as to-cause the toe of'the shoe to assume an exaggeratedtoe spring'upon removal from thelast', and cutting away the non-stretchab-le element of the skeleton.

SAMUEL BOWN. 

